When it comes to summer produce, sweet corn and ripe, juicy tomatoes get all the love. But I’m here to advocate for zucchini: When you strip away the ingredients that are typically paired with the slender green squash—feta cheese, warm spices for quick bread, and so on—and prepare it in a way that accentuates its assets, a remarkable range of appealing qualities is revealed.
When barely cooked—just enough to slightly soften the flesh and get the juices flowing—zucchini bursts with the cool, floral fruitiness of fresh melon and cucumber. Cooked more fully, the vegetable turns dense and tender, and a mild, nutty sweetness that evokes its butternut brethren is coaxed forth. I was looking to highlight both of these attributes in a quick, summery side dish.
